By day, Ian Christie is a writer and photographer who runs IC-Works, a content provider which creates engaging, visitor-friendly copy, audio, photography, Easy Read words and pictures, video or BSL video for the physical or electronic world. By night, Ian is a musician and composer whose has recently rebooted his 1980s band, Khartomb. As well as their original tracks, which they played on a live John Peel session in 1982, they are also creating new music.

In your professional life, what is the single best thing about what you do?

Business life: when my copy truly engages with readers or visitors, especially when it makes ‘em laugh.

Musical life: creating something others genuinely enjoy...with a shelf-life. My band’s 7 inch vinyl single is 30 years old and I’ve had people contact me via social media in the last 12 months asking if I can sell them a copy!

Do you have a creative hero / heroine and if so, why?

Business life: Charles Dickens for brilliant writing that was accessible, socially aware, current and hugely popular. It’s very rare you get that blend.

Musical life: although I’m a guitarist I don’t really have guitar heroes, but Johnny Marr of Smiths fame and the late, great post punker John McGeogh who played with Magazine and Siouxsie & The Banshees (amongst others) come close. Both wrote melodic & muscular guitar riffs by the barrel load.

What piece of advice do you wish you had been given at the beginning of your career?

Business + Musical life: Stick with it. And stick with the people you have genuine (collaborative) chemistry with. Am discovering this working again with singer-songwriter Caroline from Khartomb after a two and a half decade hiatus...

If you hit a creative block, what is your top tip for getting through it?

Coffee. Take a break. Coffee. Listen to music that moves you. Coffee. Get out in the sun (if you can!). And did I mention coffee? (other stimulants are available...)

And finally, for fun, if you were a shoe, what type of shoe would you be and why?

I’d be a pair of purple plastic shoes, like the ones I got from US retro store FLIP back in the 80s and (very) occasionally wore to gigs in my teens. Why? I’ll quote Nic Cage from “Wild at Heart”: “Because they express my individuality and my belief in personal freedom..”